Construction having improved sound insulation



1968 D. D. M PHAIL, SR 3,361,461

CONSTRUCTION HAVING IMPROVED SOUND INSULATION Filed Jan. 3, 1966 FIG. I

DA V/ D D. MACPHAIL SE I N VE N we United States Patent 3,361,461 CONSTRUCTION HAVING IMPROVED SOUND INSULATION David D. MacPhail, Sr., Thompsonville, Conn., assignor to Monsanto Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 3, 1966, Ser. No. 518,396 3 Claims. (Cl. 287189.36)

This application relates to improved fastening means. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved fastening means of the nail or screw type, with specific emphasis directed to the use of these fastening means in association with sound insulation.

In the construction and allied industries, continual work is being done to improve fabricated wall structures by making them more sound-proof. Additionally, efforts are continually being made for improving materials used for sound-proofing existing enclosures. When attempting to sound-proof an enclosure, it is, of course, desirable that there are as few sound leaks as possible. Taking a possible wall structure, for instance, and looking at a cross-section from room to room, a cross-section shows abutting layers of plaster, gypsum lath, studs, gypsum lath and plaster. Thus, a sound-path from one room into an adjacent room would respectively encounter the abovelisted layers of materials. A second type structure utilizes Thermolath in lieu of the gypsum lath and nails or suitable fastening means are generally utilized to affix the lath to the studs. Thermolath is a laminate of foam and News Lined Chip Lath board. Likewise, with the gypsum lath, nails or suitable fastening means are used to afiix the lath to the studs.

Sound leakage from a presumably sound-proof room occurs when the sound encounters high density materials that protrude into and out of the room. Therefore, when nails or other solid high density fastening means are used to affix lath to studding, the nail provides a continuation of hi h density material extending outwardly from the stud into the room. This continuation of high density material provides the path for the sound leak.

A further system utilizing nails or other fastening means is that of dry wall construction. The dry wall sheets, themselves, provide somewhat of a buffer for deadening sound as it enters or leaves the room. Again, nails or high density fastening means provide sound leaks through the dry wall construction. Furthermore, when using dry wall construction for sound proofing, it is common to have a backing board to which the dry wall is attached. The backing board is generally constructed of dry wall itself or a vegetable fibrous material. When afiixing the backing board, fastening means are countersunk to divorce the fastening means from the inner facing of the dry wall. Changes in humidity frequently cause the fastening means to lose their solidarity With respect to the backing board, and to pop out whereby they again intimately contact the inner facing of the dry wall. Under these conditions, a sound leak exists.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved fastening means that does not provide a sound leak when said fastening means are utilized with soundproofing materials.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved fastening means which, in its own right, assists in sound-proofing an enclosure.

Still further, another object of this invention is to provide an improved fastening means.

These and other objects will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art after reading the following detailed description of the present invention. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are pictorially set forth in the attached figures in which:

3 ,36 1,461 Patented Jan. 2, 1968 FIGURE 1 sets forth a common fastening means equipped with the sound-proofing means of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 represents a vertical cross-section of a common fastening means employing the teachings of the present invention taken along line A-A of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 represents the employment of the fastening means of the present invention when used to afiix a sound-proofed structure to a suitable support.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the fastening means of the present invention is set forth as an ordinary nail which comprises a shank 10 and a head 11. Head 11 is covered with a foamed synthetic material 12, which is, as may be seen in FIGURE 2, suitably attached to head 11 by a bonding agent.

The foamed synthetic resinous material 12 that covers head 11 produces a break in the continuation of the aforedescribed sound leak path. The fastening means may, for example, be coated with the foamed resinous material in the following manner. The head 11 of fastening member 1 may be first coated with a suitable bonding agent. A foamable synthetic resinous material having a blowing or foaming agent therein is deposited on head 11. This resinous mixture is then allowed to foam in place.

For the purpose of the present invention, the selection of the foamable material to be applied at the head is not per se critical so long as it may be suitably bonded to the head and so long as it has high memory. Exemplary of suitable foamable resinous materials are polyethylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, vinylidene chloride, polyalphamethylstyrene, polyethylacetate, polyurethane, etc. Additionally, numerous copolymers are suitable and may be prepared by copolymerizing mixtures of monomers of the above listed polymers.

Suitable blowing or foaming agents may be employed in the preparation of the foamable synthetic resinous composition employed by the present invention. For instance, suitable examples include carbon dioxide, progenitors of carbon dioxide, n-pentene, butane, propane, and the like.

.Employment of the improved fastening means of the present invention may be observed in FIGURE 3. FIG- URE 3 portrays a partial cross-section of a Wall structure having a sound-proof material 22 aflixed to a backing member 2% and provided with an external covering 21. Fastening means 1 is forced through structure 22 and into backing member 20 and lockingly joins member 22 to backing member 20. Preferably, fastening member 1 is counter-sunk. Member 22 and covering 21 (e.g., plaster) provide the external covering for the wall structure. By counter-sinking fastening means 1, a smooth outer surface is provided. The foamed synthetic resinous material 12 bonded to the fastening member 1 breaks the continuity of the high density material that is produced by the union of fastening member 1 and backing member 21).

The embodiment of the invention portrayed in FIG- URE 1 shows the foamed synthetic material covering only the upper surface of head 12. It is within the scope of this invention, however, that the underside of head 12 also be covered with synthetic foam. As such, this over-all head covering of foam will also assist in providing a water barrier around the fastening means if such is required. A suitable method of applying this type coating would be a conventional dipping technique where the fastening means, if necessary, would first be partially dipped to receive a bonding agent, and thus the same portion of the fastening means would receive a portion of foamable synthetic resin. The resin would then foam in place to provide the ultimate improved fastening means.

3 The prepared process for preparing the fastening members of the present invention is set forth in the following example. Example I A group of 100 common headed nails were aiined with the heads facing up. Each of the heads were then coated on their upper surface with a small amount of a common resinous adhesive. A small portion of a foamable polyvinyl chloride composition was then deposited onto the upper surface of each nail. The nails were then ovenheated to foam the polyvinyl chloride. The nails so treated were found to be firmly afiixed to the foamed polyvinyl chloride. Furthermore, upon driving the nail into the various wall structure members, the foam was 15 1. A novel wail, ceiling, floor and other related construction having improved sound insulation properties 4 which comprises in combination:

(a) a base construction (b) at least one sound insulation panel attached to the base construction using a nail type fastening member comprising one shank and an enlarged head portion wherein the head portion is completely covered on its upper surface by a foamed synthetic resin having a high memory, wherein the fastening member is countersunk in the sound insulation panel; and

(c) an external wall member which is applied over the sound insulation panel.

2. The fastening member of claim 1 wherein said' fastening member is a nail.

3. The fastening member of claim 1 wherein the foamed synthetic resin is a foamed polyvinyl chloride.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 20 2,353,110 7/1944 Camp s5 s4 3,230,817 1/1966 Thomas 85-28 FOREIGN PATENTS 752,846 7/1956 Great Britain.

CARL W. TOMLIN, Primary Examiner. I

R. S. BRITTS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A NOVEL WALL, CEILING, FLOOR AND OTHER RELATED CONSTRUCTION HAVING IMPROVED SOUND INSULATION PROPERTIES WHICH COMPRISES IN COMBINATION: (A) A BASE CONSTRUCTION (B) AT LEAST ONE SOUND INSULATION PANEL ATTACHED TO THE BASE CONSTRUCTION USING A NAIL TYPE FASTENING MEMBER COMPRISING ONE SHANK AND AN ENLARGED HEAD PORTION WHEREIN THE HEAD PORTION IS COMPLETELY COVERED ON ITS UPPER SURFACE BY A FOAMED SYNTHETIC RESIN HAVING A HIGH MEMORY, WHEREIN THE FASTENING MEMBER IS COUNTERSUNK IN THE SOUND INSULATION PANEL; AND (C) AN EXTERNAL WALL MEMBER WHICH IS APPLIED OVER THE SOUND INSULATION PANEL. 